The IPL 2021 final will feature a high-voltage battle between Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings and the resurrected Kolkata Knight Riders, with both teams aiming for the prestigious IPL trophy. After putting their phase 1 demons behind them and overcoming Delhi in qualifier 2, Kolkata will be confident, while CSK will be seeking their fourth IPL trophy after losing the last ball final to MI last season.
CSK will enter the match as favourites, having beaten KKR in four of their last five meetings. They’ll also be looking for a repeat of Robin Uthappa’s match-winning heroics. KKR, on the other hand, would be trying to exact revenge on CSK by defeating Dhoni’s mighty side in the decider.
Head to Head
Both teams have played 25 times in head-to-head competitions. Chennai has won 16 matches, while KKR has won 8 times. Chennai Super Kings defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by 2 wickets in their previous match.
Players to watch out for
The openers of Chennai Super Kings
- Ruturaj Gaikwad – Ruturaj Gaikwad, who recently scored his first IPL century, has been the breakout performer of the season. Gaikwad had a phenomenal average of 46.38 for his 603 runs. The dynamic opening duo of Faf and Gaikwad was the vital reason that Chennai finished among the top two teams. Their performance has relieved the pressure on MS Dhoni, who now have different responsibilities to play down the order.
- Faf Du Plessis – With all the limelight on his batting partner Gaikwad, Faf Du Plessis has been performing consistently for the CSK. He serves as the anchor and paces himself according to the innings. This IPL, he is the second-highest run-scorer with 547 runs at a blistering average of 42.08. It would be the shoulders of Faf and Gaikwad to provide a solid base for CSK’s middle order.
The spinners of Kolkata Knight Riders
- Sunil Narine – Sunil Narine, the KKR veteran, will be counted upon to give a crucial breakthrough in the middle overs. He has been KKR’s top bowler this season, earning Player of the Match honours against RCB. He’s taken 14 at an economy of just 6.44. His bowling ability, paired with some late-inning quick runs, has proven to be a winning combination for KKR.
- Varun Chakravarthy – If KKR are to make the most of this pitch, this crafty spinner from Tamil Nadu will be crucial. Varun has 18 wickets at an economy rate of just 6.4. Varun had a fantastic season this year, and he’ll be hoping to make an impression against CSK and carry his form to the upcoming World Cup.
- Venkatesh Iyer – KKR’s find of the UAE leg, Venkatesh Iyer is one of the reasons for the team’s success in the second phase of IPL 2021. Player of the match versus DC in qualifier 2 will look to form a strong partnership with Shubhman Gill, which will be crucial to the team’s success in the finals.
What can we expect?
The Chennai Super Kings will try to win the title for the fourth time and pay a fitting farewell to their skipper MS Dhoni, while the Kolkata Knight Riders will look to maintain their momentum and win the trophy for the third time. As in the past, CSK will rely on its starting duo of Gaikwad and Faf to get them off to a solid start. Whereas KKR’s strength will be their bowling variability, Kolkata can be versatile in terms of favourable match-ups, ground conditions, and a steady level of attack, making them the most dynamic squad in the IPL 2021.
In the second leg of the IPL 2021, KKR has flipped the script, rising from seventh to finals contention. Narine, Shakib, and Varun, their spinning trio, have proven to be game-changers for them. They have a formidable batting line-up, which will be put to the test against CSK’s quality bowling. They’ll put their trust in their strong bowling attack as they’ll be counting on Sunil Narine and Young Varun to deliver another match-winning effort.
CSK vs KKR Probable Playing XIs
Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayudu, Robin Uthappa, MS Dhoni (C/WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Dwayne Bravo, Josh Hazlewood.
Kolkata Knight Riders: Venkatesh Iyer, Shubman Gill, Rahul Tripathi, Nitish Rana, Eoin Morgan (C), Sunil Narine, Shakib Al Hasan, Dinesh Karthik (WK), Shivam Mavi, Lockie Ferguson, Varun Chakravarthy.